Steelers highlights/lowlights

December 24, 2011

PITTSBURGH - The following are the highlights and lowlights from the Steelers' 27-0 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Saturday at Heinz Field:

Play of the game: With the Steelers leading, 3-0, in the second quarter, running back Rashard Mendenhall broke off a 52-yard run to the Rams' 10-yard line. The Steelers scored one play later to take a 10-0 lead.

Offensive player of the game: Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, starting in place of the injured Ben Roethlisberger, completed 15-of-22 passes for 208 yards.

Defensive player of the game: Pittsburgh linebacker Lawrence Timmons recorded 10 tackles, including one sack.

Most telling statistic: The Rams reached the red zone once.

Hidden statistic: Six of the Rams' 11 drives started inside their own 20-yard line.

Best pass: Batch lofted a deep one to Mike Wallace for a 46-yard gain to the Rams' 1-yard line in the fourth quarter.

Worst pass: The Rams' Kellen Clemens overthrew Brandon Gibson on a third-and-1 pass in the second quarter.

Best run: Mendenhall followed key blocks from Ramon Foster and Heath Miller and then cut back around a clear-out by Max Starks on his 52-yard scamper.

Best catch: The Steelers' Antonio Brown went low to snag an 18-yard pass from Batch early in the third quarter.

Dropped pass: St. Louis running back Steven Jackson just missed one as he was streaking down the sideline in the third quarter. In fairness, it would have been a difficult catch.

Best block: Miller delivered the key one on Mendenhall's 52-yard run.

Missed block: Rams receiver Danario Alexander was beaten by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, who took down Jackson for a 2-yard loss on the first offensive play of the game.

Best tackle: Brown, back to receive a punt, stopped Rams punter Donnie Jones 1-yard shy of the first down on a fake punt run in the second quarter.

Best hit: Polamalu broke through the line and stopped Jackson for a 3-yard loss on third-and-4 early in the fourth quarter.

Missed tackle: The Rams' James Hall allowed Batch to escape and throw a 35-yard pass to Mendenhall in the first quarter.

Best coverage: St. Louis' Rod Hood knocked away a short pass to Wallace on third down that would have been a touchdown in the first quarter.

Worst coverage: The Rams' Josh Gordy let Wallace get deep on him in the fourth quarter.

Best kick(s): Pittsburgh's Shaun Suisham nailed a 49-yard field goal in the open end of the stadium in the third quarter. Steelers punter Jeremy Kapinos boomed a 55-yard punt in the fourth quarter.

Worst kick: St. Louis' Josh Brown looked like his brother, ex-Steeler Kris, when he missed a 33-yard field-goal try in the fourth quarter.

Best return: Antonio Brown opened the second half with a 30-yard kickoff return.

Best decision: The Rams picked up first downs by running Jackson on third-and-long a couple of times.

Worst decision: The fake punt by the Rams took too long to develop.

Worst penalty: The Rams' Quinn Porter was called for illegal use of hands on Kapinos' 55-yard punt in the fourth quarter, pinning the Rams back at their own 6-yard line.

Best effort: Rookie John Clay, promoted from the practice squad on Friday, scored on a 10-yard run on his first NFL carry.

Unsung hero: Pittsburgh's Trai Essex shifted from guard to center when Doug Legursky left the game with a shoulder strain, and the Steelers' offense didn't miss a beat.

Replays: The Steelers successfully challenged an original reception by Brandon Lloyd in the first quarter that had gone for 22 yards. Wallace's 46-yard reception was originally ruled a 47-yard TD pass, but he was then determined to be down at the 1-yard line on an official review.